478 
of that persuasion ft was from the very 
first looked on with an eye of suspicion. 
«“ The English catholic community, 
which is divided into four districts, in- 
stead of dioceses, the London, or, as 
it is sometimes called, the southern, 
the middle, the northern, and the 
western, had at this time for their 
sour official prelates, or vicars apostolicy 
James Talbot, superintendant of the 
first, Thomas Talbot of the. second, 
Matthew Gibson of the third, and Charles 
Walmsley of the fourth; and as in al- 
most every heretical country, except 
Ireland, which still retains a regular 
and independent hierarchy, the old pre- 
latic titles have been dropped, and new 
enes adopted in their stead, taken from 
the unconverted regions of Africa or 
Asia, where hopes are entertained that 
churches may hereafter be formed :—the 
first of these vicars aposttlic was dig- 
nified, by the papal chair, with that of 
the bishop of Birtha, the second of 
Acone, the third of Comana, and the 
fourth of Rama.” Of these prelates, 
the two former appear to have been men 
of liberal minds ; the two latter to have 
been actuated by the narrow prejudices 
which have hitherto been too generally 
attached to their profession. Dr. Geddes 
Was not without anxiety to gain the 
countenance of these spiritual superiors. 
For this purpose, he had *at an early 
period communicated his designitobishop 
James. Talbot, soliciting at the same 
time his approbation and patronage of 
it. By this prelate he was informed, 
that though he should be very far from 
opposing this design, two reasons would 
prevent him from publicly patronizing 
it: the fear of censure from the preju- 
diced part of the catholics, and the 
thowghts which he and his brethren en- 
tertained of publishing a revised edition 
of the Douay translation; declaring also 
at different times that he withheld his 
name from the subscription, only lest 
his official approbation of the work 
should thence be inferred. Bishop Tal- 
bot, however, after having seen the pro- 
posals, prospectus, and specimens of the 
author, died before the publication of 
the first volume, and was succeeded by 
Mr. Douglas, titular bishop of Centurie, 
xppointed to this office by the papal 
court, in opposition to Mr. Berington, 
who had been strongly supported by the 
wirbes of the more liberal part of the 
English catholics. Douglas, in conjunc- 
BIOGRAPHY. 
tion with his colleagues, Walmsley and 
Gibson, commenced their persecution by 
citing the author, before the publication 
of his work, to their tribunal, to reply 
to a charge of maintaining doctrines 
contrary to the catholic faith, Dr: — 
Geddes, with due deference to the ob- — 
servances of his churth, obeyed the . 
summons, and in reply to their exami. © 
: 
nations, wiich extended not only to his 
theological, but political creed, con- 
ducted himself with so much spirit and 
dexterity, that his judges, in all proba- — 
bility much against ‘their inclination, — 
were compelled to declare themselves | 
satisfied. On the publication of his — 
work, he transmitted a copy of it to — 
Douglas, as the apostolical superinten- — 
dent of his district, accompanied with a — 
suitable letter. On the bishop’s part a 
haughty silence was observed; the cir« . 
culation of the work was obstructed ia — 
every way; andshortly afterwardsa fulmi« : 
nating mandate was issued, setting forth, 
that “as the church of God has at alk © 
times watched with a jealous care over — 
the heavenly treasure of the sacred 
scriptures, and has condemned the prace — 
tice of printing the said scriptures, ot — 
any expositions of, or annotations upori — 
the same, unless they have been severally — 
examined and approved of by due ec- 
clesiastical authority : hence it isincum+ _ 
bent on us to warn the faithful coms 
mitted to our care, against the use and — 
reception of a certain work of this kindy 
as far as it has yet appeared, which is ~ 
destitute of these requisites, &c.”” From_ 
this encyclical prohibition, as it is called, — 
bishop Thomas Talbot had the sens¢— 
and justice to withhold hisname: it was_ 
subscribed by the three other vicars. 
Under this attack Dr. Geddes did not — 
remain passive. His intention of pubs 
licly repelling it he signified in a letter” 
to Douglas; and in consequence of this” 
contumacy, he was informed by his vicat | 
apostolic, that, unless his sitbmissions to. 
the injunctions of the church were speed* 
ily offered, his suspension from the | 
new at rN 
conrse of a few hours returned a spie 
rited reply, setting the menaced blow at 
defiance, which, in consequence, wa 
suffered to fall with all its weight upon 
his head: An ample vengeance w 
however taken, by a pamphlet, which 
appeared after the expiration of the year, 
entitled, “ A Letter from the Reverend 
